Helghast Army
The Helghast Army is the military force of the Helghan Empire. Its earliest origins can be traced to the Helghan Corporation's militia, which policed the Alpha Centauri system alongside the local Interplanetary Strategic Alliance contingent. During the First Extrasolar War, they won several early victories against the ISA forces, but after years of fighting, they began to suffer from decisive defeats by both the remnants of the ISA contingent and the UCA Navy, ending the Corporation's attempts of secession. The Army was re-militarized under the reign of Scolar Visari and again waged war against the ISA during the Second Extrasolar War. History The early Helghan Corporation militias was founded in coincidence with the establishment of the Helghan Protectorate in 2138. As the militias were not directly part of the ISA or UCN/UCA chain of command, the ISA imposed strict limitations on their size and equipment, and having their officers provided by the ISA. Because of this, the Helghan Militia were less experienced and under-equipped than their ISA counterparts, and limited to only customs, police and ceremonial duties. During the outbreak of the First Extrasolar War, the Helghan corporate forces relied on overwhelming numbers to overwhelm the ISA contingent garrisoning the system. However, they were unable to eliminate the ISA, which many of their forces have escaped in the initial fighting and conducted hit-and-run operations against the corporate forces. Eventually, the corporate forces were brutally routed by the combined forces of the more technologically superior UCA and ISA in 2202. Intervening Years At some point after the resettlement of Helghan, the reformed Helghast Administration established a standing army to protect itself and enforce its authority. In 2347, the Army lend in their support of Scolar Visari in overthrowing the Administration in a successful military coup. Agreeing to Visari's ten year proposal, the Army would be at the center of the new Helghan Empire's efforts, enlarging the military and transforming the nation from a starving and impoverished refugee world into a galactic superpower, and the greatest threat to the United Colonial Nations. Second Extrasolar War The Helghast military invaded the UCN's breadbasket, Vekta, in August of 2357. In a matter of hours, two thirds of the planet fell to the invaders, including the planetary capital, Vekta City. However, once the element of surprise had worn off, surviving ISA soldiers successfully withdrew to several staging areas where they began counterattacks against the Helghast, slowing down and eventually halting the invaders' advance. This, combined with UCN reinforcements, had pushed the Helghast forces below the equator, where the frontlines would remain for virtually the rest of the Vektan Campaign. While the Helghast were eventually defeated on Vekta, the incredible amount of death and destruction wreaked across Vekta showed the galaxy that the Helghast were no longer a weak, ineffective force to dismiss. Two years later, the Helghast proved themselves to be equally vicious and determined defenders as their attackers during the ISA's counter-invasion of Helghan, forcing the technologically and numerically superior ISA into a slow and costly urban war, before eventually routing and destroying the majority of the ISA forces, save for two small enclaves stranded in the wilderness, forced into hiding on Helghan. The Army became involved in the political power struggle between Admiral Orlock and Jorhan Stahl of Stahl Arms following the death of Scolar Visari. The rivalry escalated into open civil war as Orlock led the Army against Stahl and his forces, in an attempt to eliminate Stahl and taking control of Stahl's armada that were loaded with irradiated Petrusite weapons to be use in the invasion of Earth. However, the infighting allowed the ISA remnants to destroy Stahl's remaining ships and leading to the Terracide, which destroyed the Empire and the Army was left in ruins. Vektan Cold War What remained of the Army resettled in New Helghan, where they are incorporated into its security force. Former veterans of the Second Extrasolar War also joined the Black Hand terrorist group. Unknown to the public, a large majority of the Helghast remained on Helghan since the Terracide and for over three decades had been secretly working to restore their military might under the leadership of Jorhan Stahl. Doctrine and Personnel Pre-Helghan Terracide The army favored strict specialization of its soldiers, forbidding non-certified soldiers from utilizing weapons or undertaking roles they were not trained for. The Third Shock Army were the elite of the Helghast military, spending six months enduring intensive training to seize Vekta through force. The regular Helghast Troopers, Light Soldiers, and Assault Soldiers formed the bulk of troops within the first wave, supported by special forces troops like the Elite Soldiers. The core of the Helghast infantry defending Helghan from the ISA counter-invasion were the Assault Infantry, Shock Troopers, Riflemen, Support Troopers, and LMG Troopers. Elite units of Commandos, Elite Shock Troopers, Pyro Troopers and others supplemented the defences. Post-Helghan Terracide The catastrophic loss of life of the Helghast nation forced the remnants of the Helghast army to shift away from the attrition warfare of the past and harness its technological prowess to develop a new breed of soldiers. Restructuring itself from the massed formations of the Second Extrasolar War, its strategic focus shifted towards obtaining victory outside of total war and towards defenisve actions and urban pacification. With the shift away from massed formations of expendable, fanatical soldiers, the Army developed new military equipment to outfit valued soldiers with the same amount of firepower and overwhelming force as their predecessor formations.2013-08-09, http://www.killzone.com/kz3/en_AU/blog/interviews/2013-10-29_helghast-infantry.html. Killzone Blog, accessed on 2013-11-18 They are trained and equipped to have an edge when and where ever possible, without starting open warfare on the endless Vektan border. In addition, is an increased reliance on robotic drones to supplement its numbers, which altogether has culminated into producing a lethal successor army. The key specializations within the New Helghan military are the Assault Trooper, Commando and Engineer. Organization * Trooper - Also known as Assault Infantry, these are the most common Helghast enemy type in all three games. They are rarely found alone or even in pairs, preferring to work in larger groups. Typically armed with an StA-52 Assault Rifle. * Squad Leader - Seen in Killzone, these soldiers are slightly tougher than regular troopers and usually carry an StA-52 or an IvP-18 Tropov Machine Pistol. They wear gray shoulder pads and their respirators do not have air hoses attached to them. *'Officer' - Seen in Killzone and Killzone: Mercenary, These are high ranking soldiers are stationed at forward posts and checkpoints. They also seen working alone or in pairs with leading regular troops. They armed with StA-52 Assault Rifle and occasionally M327 Grenade Launchers. * Commando - Seen in Killzone 2 and Killzone 3, these are close combat specialists armed with LS13 Shotguns and thicker armor. * Rifleman - Seen in Killzone 2 and 3'', these sharpshooters are armed with StA-14 Rifles and deal precise damage on the battlefield. * 'Sniper' - Helghast troopers trained to eliminate enemies from a distance. Rarely seen in the games, they are recognized by the red scope goggles they wear as well as their camouflaged (later cloaking) armor. As their name suggests, they carry StA-52 SLAR or VC32 sniper rifles, but will switch to pistols if the player gets close. They have as much health as common soldiers. *'Shock Trooper' - Seen in ''Killzone: Liberation and Killzone 2, these troopers were chosen by General Metrac to swiftly intercept and eliminate enemies in close quarters. They are armed with S-FOX machine pistols or StA-11 Submachine Guns, and often draw knives at extremely close range. *'Specialist' - These soldiers consist of the brightest and most athletic of the entire Helghast Army's infantry. They are sent through an extensive and brutal training regime for them to fulfill important and critical mission roles. They are armed with the S-FOX pistol. * Elite Soldier - Seen in Killzone and Killzone: Liberation, these heavy troops are typically armed with StA-3 Light Machine Guns. They are very strong and are much more resilient than average troopers, whom they are often found fighting alongside. Elites do not wear helmets, but still wear the iconic orange goggles. * Assault Soldier - Seen in Killzone, these are much tougher than Elites but slow-moving due to their distinctive, thick armor, which makes them incredibly resilient to damage. They are also considerably more dangerous than assault soldiers thanks to their reliance on M327 Grenade Launchers. * Support Trooper - Seen in Killzone 2 and 3'', these are similar to Assault Soldiers, albeit with less substantial armor. They are typically armed with VC9 Rocket Launchers. *'Base Commander' - Seen in ''Killzone, these are as strong as an Elite despite their minimal armor. As their name suggests they are only found in Helghast camps, making them quite rare. Base Commanders are easily recognized by their long overcoats and lack of helmets. They commonly carry pistols. * Bodyguard - Seen in Killzone and Killzone: Liberation, bodyguards are the strongest enemy in the game. They are intelligent, seek cover when injured and look for opportunities to ambush the player. They usually are seen carrying StA-3s and have a distinctive visor on their helmets. * Heavy Trooper - Seen in Killzone 2 and 3''. Heavy Soldiers are hulking brutes who serve as the heavy hitters of the Helghan Empire. They are slow but very strong and they carry devastating StA-6 Chainguns. Their only weak point is the gas tanks on their backs. *'Pyro Trooper' - Seen in ''Killzone 2 and 3'', these troopers are armed with VC1 Flamethrowers and are typically employed to clear bunkers and trenches. They are also equipped with fire-proof suits that protect them from the flames, however, they may still be killed by explosions. *'Supreme Trooper' - Seen in ''Killzone: Liberation. The Supreme Troopers function as support units and personal guards for General Armin Metrac. Dressed in their experimental servo-assisted armor, and brandishing heavy VnS-10B Scylla Chainguns and pneumatic manipulator arms, they resemble nothing but a walking tank. *'Air Trooper' - Appearing in Killzone Liberation ''and ''Killzone 3, these soldiers make use of SL-06 Personal Jet Propulsion systems that give these troopers mobility to fly across the battlefield. Production was ordered by General Metrac himself after witnessing the device's effectiveness. *'Stahl Arms Hazardous Material (HAZMAT) Trooper' - First appearing in Killzone 3, these troopers are the most common in Stahl Arms' private military. Their training, equipment and armor are superior to the regular Helghast soldiers. They use the VC5 Arc Rifle effectively - facing them directly is dangerous. *'Capture Trooper' - Also appearing in Killzone 3, these elite soldiers are armed with arm-mounted blades. They are notable in that they are the only enemies to have an instant-kill melee animation in the game's campaign. They have greater strength, speed and endurance with light yet strong armor. These physical advantages may be due to possible drugs acting as steroids. * Sentry Bot - These flying gun platforms attack with dual machine guns. They are not well-armored but can be hard to hit because of their tendency to stay on the move. When they are destroyed, they explode, inflicting moderate damage to anything close by. *'Guard Dog' - Only appearing in Killzone: Liberation, these dogs wear armor similar to the common Helghast soldier, even down to the iconic orange goggles and black respirator, adjusted for the dogs' physiology. Their only weapons are their razor sharp teeth and claws. *'Spider Mine' - Seen in Killzone: Liberation and Killzone 3. These mines are robotic spiders that chase after any living thing, whether it be friend or foe, until it detonates when it gets close enough to a target. *'Police' - Seen in Killzone: Mercenary. They wear riot gear with helmets marked with two yellow stripes. Unlike other Units, their duty is to enforce the law of Helghan. They are armed with StA-52 Assault Rifles. *'Bounty Hunter' - Only appears once in Killzone, when Templar and his squad encounter a heavily defended beacon. The bounty hunter (as referred to on the Vekta Today website) uses a laser designator to coordinate artillery onto the team, but will switch to a pistol when they get close. About as tough as a common soldier. His name suggests he is not a member of the Helghast military, but rather a private contractor. Known Units *Helghast First Army *Third Shock Army *Elite Guard *Autarch’s Guard - Scolar Visari's personal bodyguard. *9th Division - Colonel Radec's unit during his tour on Vekta. Equipment Small Arms Heavy Weapons Land Vehicles Aerial Vehicles Sea Vehicles Spacecraft Gallery File:Helghast.jpg|All Helghast soldiers in Killzone 2. File:Helghast Varients.jpg|Helghast soldiers (with urban camo and snow camo) in Killzone 3. Helghast army.png References Category:Helghast Category:Organizations Category:Killzone 2 Category:Killzone: Mercenary Category:Killzone 3 Category:Killzone Shadow Fall Category:Killzone: Liberation Category:Helghan Category:New Helghan Category:Killzone